Public Statements

Gillibrand Statement on Obama Announcement of U.S. Transition from Combat Operations in Afghanistan this Spring

Statement

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement following President Obama's announcement that U.S. forces in Afghanistan will end most combat operations starting this spring and transition to a support role. Senator Gillibrand was one of the Senate's leading voices pressing for an aggressive drawdown of combat troops from Afghanistan.

"President Obama's announcement today regarding his policy winding down the war in Afghanistan was a step forward. A faster transition to Afghan led operations will shift U.S. troops from a combat to support role by the middle of this year. I urge the President to use this momentum to speed up and increase the drawdown of U.S. combat troops. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I stand ready to work with the President and the Department of Defense on solutions to continuing U.S. security in South East Asia that does not involve the presence of U.S. combat troops in Afghanistan."